Can-sealing device.



v E. D. WATERBURY.

0. m SEALiNG DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED 0021231, 1910.

999,6 1 2. Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGIAPI CO, WASHINGTON. D C.

TTE TATE PAT T FFTQ,

EMERY D. WATERBURY, 0F SAWTELLE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOMARTIN" LINTNEB, OF NAPA, CALIFORNIA.

CAN-SEALING DEVICE.

Application filed Gctober 31, 1910. Serial No. 580,048.

T 0 alt whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, EMERY D. WATER- BURY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Sawtelle, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCan-Sealing Devices; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention is a device for sealing cans containing condensed milk andthe object of the invention is to provide a simple device by which thecontents of the can will be protected against the deteriorating actionof the air, but may be readily poured from the can when it is desired touse the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device which maybe readily manipulated by any person and which may be constructed at aslight cost.

These stated objects and such other incidental objects as willhereinafter appear, are obtained by the use of the device illustrated inthe accompanying drawings and the invention consists in certain novelfeatures of the same which will be hereinafter first fully described andthen more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showingmy device applied to a can; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 isa perspective view showing the manner of using the can opener; Fig. 4 isa detail perspective view showing the construction of the end of thetool; Fig. is an enlarged plan view of the tool; and Fig. 6 is a detailview of the blank from which the can opener is formed.

The can 1 is of the usual or any preferred construction and ishermetically sealed at its top and bottom in the usual or any desiredmanner. My improved sealing and opening tool comprises a pair of springarms 2 which are connected at their outer ends by an integral bar orshoulder 3 forming a substantially U-shaped structure, as

clearly shown in the drawings. A metallic' plate 4 is folded over andrigidly secured to this connecting bar or shoulder 3 and is provided atone end with a point or blade 5 which may be forced through the top of acan in order to start an incision therein, the convex edge of this plateconstituting Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

TC? f a knife which will cut through the top' o the can when the tool isrocked as will be readily understood.

The free ends of the spring arms 2 are turned downward, as shown at 6,and the extremities of said downward ends are tapered, as shown at 7, soas to form spurs which may readily pass through the top of a can ofcondensed milk, as shown in Fig.

1. Just above the tapered portions of these downturned ends, I provideannular grooves or recesses 8 in which are fitted washers 9 and 10, thewasher 9 being preferably of rubber or some similar elastic material andthe washer 10 being of metal or rigid material and of less diameter thanthe washer 9. The smaller rigid Washer is placed on the end of the toolabove the elastic washer which will retain the rigid washer in placeinasmuch as the elastic washer will bind snugly around the downturnedend 6 within the annular groove or recess 8 and, consequently, preventthe upper washer slipping from the tool.

The use of the device will, it is thought, be readily understood fromthe foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings. The ends of the spring arms 2 are spread apart so that thetapered extremities or points thereof will rest upon the can near theextreme edge thereof at diametrically opposite points and sufficientforce is then applied to the tool to force the spurs or taperedextremities through the can top and bring the washers into intimatecontact with the said top. The resiliency of the arms 2 will cause themto bind firmly within the punctures formed by the tapered extremities sothat they will not readily slip from the said punctures and the elasticwashers fitting closely over these punctures, being held thereto by theresiliency of the spring arms 2, will effectually prevent the access ofair or dirt to the contents of the can. When it is desired to removesome of the contents of the can, a slight lifting force is applied toone of the spring arms so as to remove the same from the puncture inwhich it is seated and the milk may then be poured through the saidpuncture as will be readily understood. hen it is desired to again sealthe contents of the can, the arms are spread sufiiciently to cause thefree end of the disengaged arm to register with the puncture and theresiliency of the device will at once carry the said point through thepuncture to again seal the can.

My device is obviously simple in its con struction and may bemanufactured and placed 011 the market at a slight cost. It will befound highly eliicient for the purpose for which it is designed and maybe easily manipulated by any unskilled person so that the purity of themilk or other ma terial within the can may be preserved for anindefinite period.

It will be observed that the spring arms extend laterally beyond the canso that they may be easily grasped by the user and may be utilized as alever against the edge of the can to facilitate the removal of the spur.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruct-ion may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advan tages of this invention as defined in theappended claim.

Having thus described my i11vention,wl1at I claim is A tool for thepurpose set forth comprising a pair of divergent resilient arms adaptedto extend over the top of a can and project laterally beyond the sameand having down-turned tapered ends adapted to pierce and pass throughsaid top, and sealing devices carried by said down-turned ends.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

EMERY D. lVATEHBUHY.

l/Vitnesses Gno. W. GILDERSLEEVE, E. VVILLIAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

